Cord lock for window shades



.une 15, 1937. v F. DlERENGA 2,084,265

CORD LOCK FOR WINDOW SHADES Filed Apr-11 1s, 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 geen FRANK Dz/.e-Rzf/VGA aNvENToR ATTORNEY `lune 1.5, 1937.

F. Dz'xEBENGA CORD LOCK FOR WINDOW SHADES Filed April 15, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 60 gg se FRA NK z/ERzE/VGA INV`ENTOR BY/Uzom P. mmf

ATTORNEY Patented June 15, 1937 UNITED STATES PATET OFFICE mesne Worcester, Mass.

assignments, to Elbert H. Carroll,

Application April 13, 1935, Serial No. 16,1115

9 Claims.

My invention relates to cord locks for window shades and has particular reference to devices for locking cords supporting window shades in any desired position.

The object of my invention is to provide a locking device of a small and compact construction which can be attached to one end of the bar from which the window shade is suspended.

Another object of my invention is to provide a locking device with movable jaws for clamping the cords, these jaws being made so that they will lock the cords in any position if these cords are pressed sideways against one of the jaws, but which will release the cords if the latter are pulled straight downward.

Another object of my invention is to provide a cord locking device with movable jaws adapted to clamp the cords from the opposite sides thereby insuring a rm grip.

Another feature of the invention resides in the provision of a cord anchoring device in which the clamping members are pivotally mounted, each member having cord anchoring portions located on the side of the cord opposite to the pivotal support of the member, thereby assuring a positive clamping action which will prevent slipping of the cord or cords between the clamping members.

My invention is more fully described in the accompanying specication and drawings in Which- Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of my locking device at the end of a shade supporting bar in an unlocked or inoperative position, Fig. 2 is a partial view of the same in a locked or operative position, Fig. 3 is a sectional end View of the same, Fig. l is a bottom view partly in section,

Fig. 5 is a top view of the locking members, Fig. 6

is a side view of a bracket for the upper shade bar,

Fig. '7 is an elevation of a modified device, Fig. 8 1s an end view of the same partly in section, Fig. 9 is a side View of locking members, Fig. 10 is a bottom view of the modied device, Fig. 11 is an elevation of an end bracket for the shade supporting bar, Fig. 12 is a bottom view of the same, Fig. 13 is a sectional end View of another modication, Fig. 14 is a partial end View of the same with locking members in an operative position, Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the same, Fig. 16 is a top view of the locking members, Fig. 17 is a detail view of one of the locking members, Fig. 18 is a sectional end view of another modification, Fig. 19 is a partial view of the same in an operative position, Fig. 20 is a sectional bottom view of the '-55 same, Fig. 21 is a detail view of one locking member, and Figs. 22 and 23 are other views of the same.

My locking device consists of a housing I made of a sheet metal and tted into the end portion of a shade supporting bar 2. Flanges 3 on top of 5 the housing are fastened to the bar by screws fl. A roller 5 is mounted in the upper portion of the housing for guiding cords 6 supporting slats of a window shade (not shown), these cords being further guided by rollers 'I mounted in` the upper side of the bar 2 in a longitudinal slot for the cords A horizontal transverse slot 9 is made in the end of the bar 2 and in the edges of the housing I for a bar supporting bracket Iil. This bracket is fastened to the window frame by screws (not shown) passing through holes Ii. The bar 2 rests on the upper flange I2 of the bracket by the edge of the slot 9 and is prevented from sliding sideways by a tongue I3 bent out from the flange I2 and fitting in the slot S.

The housing I has a narrow slot Ill in its rear or inner wall for a tongue I5 on the upper end of a bracket I6. rlChe latter has lugs Il on the sides bent so as to frictionally engage the sides of the housing. The ends of the lugs snap into narrow slots I3 in the side walls of the housing. This arrangement permits the bracket to be quickly attached or removed, at the same time firmly retaining it when left in the operating position. A hole IS is provided in the bracket I6 for the end trunnion 29 of a bar' 2l which supports the shade slats (not shown). A slot 22 extends from the hole I9 to the edge of the bracket at an angle upward and is used for inserting the trunnion 2t. A locking plate or latch 23 has 3- a stem 24 on its upper end loosely fitting in a corresponding hole in the horizontal portion of the bracket. The end of the stem is expanded into a head 25 for retaining the stem in its position. The lower end of the latch 23 is widened 40 and curved so as to cover the upper side of the trunnion and prevent its accidental escape from the hole IB. A side lug 2% extends from the latch beyond the edge ol the bracket and is used for pushing the latch back as shown with dotted 45 lines in Fig. 6 when it is desired to remove the trunnion from the hole I6 (and with it, of course, the whole shade).

The cords 6 pass through a locking mechanism in the housing I. This mechanism consists of symmetrically arranged locking members 21 placed between pins 28 fastened by their ends in the side walls of the housing. Tongues 29 are stamped out in the sides of the members 21 and areV shaped so as to form slots 3l) with the sides of the members 21. These slots are tapering or converging from bottom to top of the housing.

` The lower ends of the members 21 are provided with toothed jaws 3l adapted to grip the sides of the cords 6.

The locking members are made sothat their jaws provide sufficient clearance for the cords when the members rest on the bottom plate 32 of the housing in an inoperative position. The cords then can be pulled freely between the jaws in either direction. The bottom plate has a slot 33 extending to the side wall of the housing so that the cords can be deflected to one side and pressed against the jaw of one of the members (left or inner as shown in Fig. 2). The housing is inclined at an angle of about 15 in order to facilitate the movement of the free ends of the cords in front of thev shade. The bottom plate is held by lugs 34 on the side walls tting into dovetailed slots in the bottom plate and nicked or riveted. The outer side wall 35 may be made integral with the bottom plate.

The operation of my device is as follows.

When the cords hang freely with the shade fully extended, the locking members rest on the bottom plate 32 and are expanded on the pins 28 so that the jaws 3i form a clearance around the cords. The latter in this position can be freely moved up or down between the jaws. By pulling down on the free ends of the cords, the shade may be raised to a desired degree. rIhen in order to lock the cords in this position with the shade raised, the cords are pressed sideways against one of the jaws which is located near the open end of the slot 33. The cords are then gradually released permitting them to be raised by the pull from the shade. The cords, moving upward, will carry the locking members with them, being engaged by one of the jaws. Although only one jaw is engaged, both members will move together as they are interlocked by lugs 3B at their upper ends, these lugs being alternately one under the other.

The locking members, while being carried upward, will be also moved together by the action of cam-like surfaces in the slots 30 on the pins 28. The jaws will close against the cords from the opposite sides and will hold the cords against the slippage. Once clamped in the jaws, the cords may be then dropped as they will remain locked by the pull on the cords from the shade slats.

In order to release the cords the latter must be pulled straight down until the locking members come to rest against the bottom plate 32. The cords then can be either pulled straight down if it is desired to raise the shade still further, or they may be released permitting the shades to move -down pulling the cords with them. The jaws will not begin to hold the cords until the latter are pulled sideways and pressed against one'of the jaws.

A modied device is shown in Figs. 7, 8 and 9. Here the housing consists of two parts, the upper part 31 fitted into the end of the supporting bar 2 and provided with flanges 3 and with a guiding roller 5 for the cords, and a lower housing proper 38 containing a locking mechanism. The latter consistsV of locking members 3S provided with locking jaws 3| in the lower portion and interlocking lugs 36 at the upper end. The members have also guiding lugs 40. The side walls of the housing 38 have slots 4l converging to the upper end of the housing. A bottom plate 42 is tted on lugs 34 closing the lower end of the slots 4l and provided with a slot 43 for the cords. The housing 38 is set at an angie to the bar 2 and the slot 43 is directed in front of the shade, so that the cord must be pulled away from the shade in order to render the locking members operative. The cam-like slots 4iA cause the jaws to clamp the cords by the pull on the latter from the shade.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17. Here the roller housing 31 supports a locking vhousing 44 closed at thef bottom with a plate 45 with a side slot 41 for the cords 6. The plate 45 has an extension 48 forming a side wall of the housing. The locking mechanism consists of two interlocking members 49 and 50 pivotally supported in the lower corners of the housing on trunnionsV or lugs 5l for which slots are provided in the walls of the housing. Jaws 3i are formed inside of the members 49 and 50. The member 58 has shoulders 52 supporting underneath the member 49, and the latter has lugs 53 extending over the si-desof the member 49. This arrangement provides an effective interlock between the members causing them to move together when one only is being raised. It is preferable, however, to place the jaw of the member 5`| near the open end of the slot 41 so that the member 59 can raise the member 49 by its shoulders 52. The locking members are both therefore raised when the cords are deflected sideways and pressed against the jaw of the member 50, and then permitted to be raised by the pull on the cords from the shade slats. Thejaws move together when the members are raised, clamping the cords between them.

Another modification is shown in Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 and 23. Here locking members 54 and 55 are pivoted on their trunnions or lugs 56 in slots at a certain height above the bottom plate 51. The latter has raised sides 58 forming the sides of a housing 59 in its lower portion. The locking members are curved as shown and provided with short and long lugs 60 and 6I mutually interlocked, so that when one of the members is raised, the other is moved up with it. The operation of this device is similar to the operation of the above described devices.

I claim as my invention: l. In a cord lock for window shutters, the com bination of a housing adapted to be supported on a window frame and provided with apertures at its ends for cords, locking members movably sup- Y ported in said housing at the opposite sides -of said cords, the edges of said members being adapted to engage sai-d cords, cam portions on said members extending obliquely of said housing,

transverse members in said housing slidably engaging said cam portions, and mutually interlocked lugs on said members, said cam portions in cooperation being adapted to bring said members together against said cords when said members,y are moved toward one end of said housing vby pulling on saidv cordsand pressing said cords against the edge of one of said members.

2. In a cord lock for Window shades, the. .Combif nation of a housing adapted to besupported one, Window frame and provided with apertures at its ends for cords, locking members slidably supported in said housing, the ends of said members being bent against said cords, the middle portions of said members extending obliquely of said housing, pins transversely supported in said housing and engaging said middle portions, tongues on said members extending on the other sides of said pins parallel to said middle portions, and lugsy on said members mutually interlocking and thereby causing said members to move togetlnyaroverv said pins, said middle portions being adapted to bring said members together against said cords when said members are moved toward one end of said housing by the pull on said cords and by pressing said cords against one of said members.

3. In a cord lock for window shades, the combination of a housing adapted to be supported on a window frame, and provided with apertures at its ends for cords, locking members movably supported in said housing at the opposite sides of said cords, the edges of said members being adapted to engage said cords, cam portions on said housing, lugs on said members slidably engaging said cam portions, said cam portions being adapted to bring said members together against said cords when` said members are moved toward one end of said housing, and mutually interlocking lugs on said members adapted to cause the movement of both members when one member is moved by said cords, said cam portions being adapted to bring said members together against said cords when said members are moved toward one end of said housing by the pull on said cords and by pressing said cords against the edge of one of said members.

4. In a cord lock for window shades, the combination of a housing adapted to be supported on a window frame and provided with apertures at its ends for cords, locking members movably supported in said housing at the opposite sides of said cords, the edges of said members being adapted to engage said cords, side walls of said housing being provided with slots extending obliquely of said housing, lugs on said members slidably fitted in said slots, said slots being adapted to bring said members together against said cords when said members are moved toward one end of said housing, and mutually interlocking lugs on said members adapted to cause both members to move together when one member is moved by pulling on said cords and pressing them against the edge of said member.

5. In a cord anchoring device, a housing having at least one aperture for cords to pass therethrough, locking members movably supported in said housing at opposite sides oi the cords with the edges of said members in a position for engagement with the cords, cam portions in said housing, cam portions on said members cooperatively and obliquely slidably engaging said first cam portions, movement of said members toward one end of the housing procuring inward movement of the members toward each other to clamp the cords therebetween.

6. In a cord anchoring device, a housing having apertures for cords to pass therethrough, locking members movably supported in said housing at opposite sides of the cords with the edges of said members in a position for engagement with the cords, cooperating elements in said housing and on the members for supporting said members and for guiding the members into and out of clamping position, said members in inoperative position engaging with the housing with the cord anchoring edges of said members out of engagement with the cords when the latter are in the normal position, said members being movable into operative position by engagement between the locking edge of one of said members and the cords by moving at least one of the cords laterally from its normal position, said housing having a slot to permit this lateral movement of the cord, said members havingV interlocking elements to procure movement of said members in unison into and out of cord anchoring position.

'7. In a cord anchoring device, a housing having 'at least one aperture for cords to pass therethrough, locking members movably supported in said housing at opposite sides of the cords, each member having a cord engaging portion, cooperating elements in said housing and on the members for supporting said members and for guiding the members into and out of clamping position, the cord engaging portion of each member located on the side of the cords opposite to the supporting element for the member, said members being moved into operative position by engagement between the cord anchoring portion of one of said members and the cords while the cords are moving through the housing, said members having interlocking elements to procure movement of said members in unison into or out of cord anchoring position.

8. In a cord anchoring device, a housing, a plurality of clamping members movably supported in the housing on opposite sides of at least one cord passing through the housing, each clamping member having a cord engaging portion, with the cord engaging portion of each member located on the side of the cord opposite to the support for said member in the housing.

9. In a cord anchoring device, a housing, a plurality of clamping members pivotally mounted in the housing on opposite sides of at least one cord passing through the housing, each clamping member having a cord engaging portion, with the cord engaging portion of each member 1ocated on the side of the cord opposite to the pivotal support of said member.

FRANK DZIERZENGA. 

